Today is Ben’s and my 11 year wedding anniversary – holy moly, does time fly!
Most people are surprised to learn that Ben and I have known each other since Kindergarten – we were in opposite corners of our class picture, ha! – though we didn’t start dating until the summer before our senior year in college. We ran around with the same group in high school but the stars didn’t align for our singles selves until that fateful summer when we reconnected at home before dating long distance at separate schools for a year. Three years later he got down on one knee and we’ve never looked back.
Ben and I are total opposites in so many ways. He is the hip hop to my 90s pop. The night owl to my early bird. The calm to my crazy. The messy to my tidy. The patient to my impulsive. The big picture to my small details. The cautious to my spontaneous. The extro to my intro. But, it works. I don’t know what I did in a previous life to deserve this caring, kind, supportive, wise, thoughtful, fun, insightful, hard-working, loving, and giving man, but it must have been something pretty epic.
Is marriage hard? HELL yes!!! But this guy makes it as easy as it can possibly be.
Ben’s the kind of person that saves you the last bite, never watches ahead in Netflix, and only throws a minor fit when you “fix” the garage door handle by accidentely gluing it on backwards with gorilla glue.
What can I say, he agreed to for better and for worse!
Truly Ben makes me strive to be a better person every day. He is the first to help and give of whatever his family or friends need. Anyone who knows Ben would agree that he is the best of the best. I totally married up…which is what I remind myself of every time I have to pick up his socks from the bedroom floor.
I mean, the hamper is RIGHT there!
You don’t see Ben on the blog a lot because he hates attention, and having his picture taken, but IGE would not exist without him. He’s been my faithful taste tester, recipe tweaker, and cheerleader from day one. He also hates recognition and will undoubtedly hate this post, but here we are. ;)
Not only is Ben the best husband on the planet (minus those socks,) but he’s also the best Dad. The best, best, BEST Dad.
Fun, soft, patient and full of wisdom – these kids are incredibly lucky. Ugh!
Cheers, my love, to 11 years down and many, MANY more years to go!
In honor of my dear husband, and our 11 years of marriage, I thought it’d be fun to share 10 of Ben’s favorite recipes today. Probably should have made it 11 recipes but that seemingly obvious thought didn’t occur to me until just now, and we’ve already come too far.
Ben is an awesome cook – many of the recipes we both love and that I’m sharing below came from his brain – but since I work from home I do most of the day-to-day cooking. He takes care of us on the weekends when he has time to slow down and cook a stew, or throw a few racks of ribs or a brisket on the smoker (his favorite hobby,) but when it comes to dinner Monday – Friday, Mama’s in charge and these are the recipes he’s always glad to see on the menu. Spicy, crispy, comforting, and packed with flavor, maybe a few of these will become favorites of yours too!
Spicy Shrimp Soup
Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo
Air Fryer Wings
Gluten Free Homestyle Chicken and Noodles
Green Beans with Bacon
Beef Enchilada Recipe
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls
Stove Top Beef Stew
Healthier Kimchi Fried Rice
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Triple Berry Crumb Bars
Happy anniversary!! Just thinking of that beautiful day. Have tried some of these recipes but will need to try a few more
Thanks Aunt Bev! <3
That is the absolute sweetest tribute to your husband, and so hilarious also…love the socks and hamper!!! Happy Anniversary!! Truly a joy to hear about your young family, your writing is so entertaining!! Also, your soup recipes are an absolute staple in my home. Thank you and have a wonderful anniversary weekend!!!
Thank you Kathleen! You are too kind. :)
Happy Anniversary to two of my favorite people! What a fun wedding that was! Love you! Thanks for sharing Ben’s faves. I need to try some of these for my hubby. I can totally see him loving down that beef stew.
Pat would approve, I feel. ;) Love you Nat.
Happy Anniversary! I loved this post. I could have written the same things about my wonderful husband. He hates recognition of any kind, and so much so, that getting birthday or Christmas presents is an ordeal for him. It’s worse for us because we are never sure he actually likes anything – even if it’s something he has asked for! We will be married 48 years in December, and it has been a process. Sometimes it is hard, but it is so worth it. He has had dementia for the last ten years, and and although he has forgotten a lot of things, he has never for forgotten for one minute that he loves us. We grew up in Dubuque 6 blocks apart, but we didn’t meet until college. I knew he was a keeper from the start. Those Iowa boys are the best.
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband, Mari, though it sounds like you two have had a happy and full life together so far. <3 Thanks for sharing your story!
That photo of Ben and the three children is swoon worthy. OMG And what a pretty bride you were. Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Wendy! :)
Congratulations! Ben’s Beef Stew has become a family favorite in our home!
Yah! So glad to hear it, Stephanie!
Happy Anniversary! Your cinnamon roll recipe is the best!!
Yess, so glad to hear it, Erika!
Happy Anniversary! What amount chicken broth have you been using to make the Chicken and Rice soup less “soupy”? We aren’t huge soup eaters, but my kids love rice!
Hi Lara! I don’t measure anything because I have the recipe committed to memory! ? What might be easiest is to use the same amount of broth but add additional rice – maybe 1-1/2x the normal amount. Keep some extra broth on hand to add if you need it!
I also have your chicken rice soup recipe committed to memory and I make it almost weekly oh, October – March maybe?! It is so comforting, easy, healthy, and satisfying!
Happy anniversary! You two have the sweetest love story :)
Thank you Lacey! :)
Happy anniversary! It’s been a pleasure to watch your family grow on the blog ?
Thank you so much, A!
Happy anniversary! And thanks for all the amazing GF recipes,
Thanks Joy! My pleasure. :)
Happy anniversary to you both!
Thank you, Julie – we appreciate it! :)
Happy Anniversary, hope you have a lovely day! X
Thank you, Trudi!